As per other threads in the forum, I concur with Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic, but for the cardster in you, also Royal Road to Card Magic. I've got both, and I bought the DVD set for RRCM featuring R.Paul Wilson. Can't beat actually SEEING how to handle cards.

I am six months new to Magic and am just sorry that I did not get into this earlier. I just want to learn everything and like many have brought, then sold on stuff that was either not my style or just gimmicks.
My only Audience is my Girlfriend and Mates etc.

I have had a dumbstruck Girlfriend with.

Overkill and Find the Aces and would also agree with Mark Wildon about Out of this World.

Hope this helps

Darrell

If you're in to money magic, I would without a doubt add David Roth's Expert Coin Magic (no gaffs) & Ultimate Coin Magic (gaffs) DVD series to your collection. This is close-up magic at its best taught by the "master" in coin magic himself.

I think one of the easiest things to perform and have access to are the levitating-small-items tricks. Any magic store has at least a couple variations on it, and they're great for performing close up.

Okay, curiousity is killing me, what are numbers 122 and 123? I have to have those!

Hi Sabrina:

122 and 123 are illusions that have been created by Marcel Marceau! He carries them in his pockets 24/7. Although they are copyright protected, he has given me permission to share them with you in this post.

Here they are:




Enjoy!*


:magicrabbit:










*just kidding!

I am a coin guy and I don't think that you can go wrong with coins for close-up impromptu work.

Most of the stuff I do needs no special gimmicks, though I always carry 'coin unique and/or a nest of coins as well as wearing my PK ring.

You will never be stuck for something amazing to do with these items.

However, I would recommend a couple of book purchases first - Mark Wilson has already been mentioned. I, of course, would also recommend Bobo, but there is also a great book called Street Magic by Paul Zenon which I love.

I have always been a big fan of Spare Change by David Acer. Nice dime and penny routine. I do a routine with this trick that includes a transpose, vanish, a coin changes to a quarter, and a penetration through the back of the spectators hand for the end ;D Can all be done in one routine, you don't really have to have a pater for it but it helps allot. With a small switch at the end it can be fully examined

I would highly recommend it to anyone for a good pocket trick

THUMB TIPS, THUMB TIPS, THUMB TIPS!!!!!!!
SPONGE BALLS, SPONGE BALLS, SPONGE BALLS!!!!!!!!
With the sponge balls you can use a number of simple sleight of hand movements to create a milion effects from changing the size of balls, the number of balls, the color of balls, and even the shapes. Turn a red ball blue then turn it into two, three, four, then into a square and then a jumbo ball, then to bunny rabbits,eggs,fruits,veggies and so on, and so on and so on.......Oh my gosh, I need to remember to breathe.All light headed.
The thumbtips are just as versitile and can have a thousand effects that you can carry in your pockets.
Excellent instructional videos and DVD's are any thing from Jeff McBride.
http://www.mcbridemagic.com.

If you're looking for a gimmick, I whole-heartedly recommend the Stripper Deck. It automatically allows you to do impressive tricks, but doesn't inhibit sleight of hand. Spend 90 days practicing with a Stripper Deck, and when you can perform all of your SD tricks without the strip, gratefully part with it.

Five tricks you should definitely get are:

1. Color Monte
2. Sharpie Thru Dollar (SR-71 Blackbird)
3. Recapped Routine By Greg Wilson (On The Spot DVD)
4. Card Toon 1
5. Two Red D'lites

You actually might like a trick that I invented as well. It's called Compression and will be sold as a DVD throughout the U.S. and Europe (exclusively at magicshop.co.uk). It is very easy to do and is extremely hard hitting - Should be out before October.

Anyway, the five tricks listed above are all great.

-Daniel

I'm still a beginner myself, but Scotch and Soda NEVER fails. Most any self working card trick.

I have an 11 y.o. and an 8 y.o. who are always making up their own tricks - some very cheesy but cute. Thanks for the ideas on some of the beginning stuff to buy for them. My 11 y.o. is already very good at the money in the ear trick.

I am hoping to dress the both up as magicians for Halloween if they will go for it. The 11 y.o. is a girl and the 8 y.o. is a boy!

1.) Torn and Restored 2000 - Ken Kuroki
2.) Tokyo Penetration - Ryu Susato
3.) Recap (although this uses some sleight of hand and misdirection)
4.) Out of the World - Paul Curry's original version
5.) Las Vegas Leaper - Paul Harris

Best,
Charles
PS: As regard to the OP's post about Tenyo items, I do have one, out of the many that I have, called the scratchcard. I believe it is a variation of the american trick "Predicta." Please correct me if I am wrong.

I’m a beginner too. Here’s the list of best received
biggest response listed first.


Hocus Pocus Cut and restore (Rope, very old, Tarbell, Daryl)
But after tying ends together, looks like trick failed, then slide off knot.

Professor’s Nightmare (rope, old and cheap, easy reset)

Entourage (Newer, gimmicked, easy to handle and reset)

Two Dollar Window (Newer , gimmicked, easy to handle and reset)

Perfect Pen tear through bill is “accident” Pen can be looked at.

For all of my student's I have them working on a specific curriculum of tricks. I use these specific tricks as it teaches them how to hold their hands, where to look, ect. So here are the four that I teach first: 2 dollar bill switch, professors nightmare, sponge balls, cups and balls. By the time they roll into cups and balls they understand how to hold there hands, false transfers, and the what not!
Good luck
J

2 things come to mind:


THING 1:
If I were to pick tricks, I might NOT give them something like invisible deck. This teaches them nothing and exposes a secret to a nubie that should not be exposed.

They need to learn how to do magic not how to do a certain trick.
I would teach something like 2-in-the-hand one-in-the pocket.

Though a simple trick, it can be studied extensively using patter, misdirection, focus, active and passive body language, etc.

When they learn how to do this well, they will understand what magic is, how it works, how to manipulate people's experiences, etc.

Then you can up the ante and offer different/better slights to enhance the illusion and to get them thinking deeper about magic.

Those that want to learn the in-depth stuff will blossom from there. Those that have no real interest in being any good will learn a good trick.


THING 2:

On the other hand, maybe it would be better teaching the invisible deck.
Then you're not really teaching anything from the perspective that "real magic" is understanding misdirection, body language, etc.

Perhaps these real secrets should stay secrets until the person decides to push further.



Now I cannot decide...

Hm,

Well, if you are really beginning in magic I would definitely advice to buy the following things:

1. Thump Tip (which was my entrance too the real world of magic)
2. Svengali Deck (relatively easy too learn, amazing, and always useful)
3. Some fun close up trick that tempts you to practice, like color changing knifes.

At the moment I`ve stepped of buying single effects at a magic shop. I`ve purchased the Tarbell course and Tarr`s "Now you see it, now you don`t". If you really want to get into learning magic, at some point you`ll find out that you have to master sleight of hand before you are able to show any good effect in a perfect way. I think I`m at that point now, and I have to confess that it is pretty hard too keep up the dicipline.

Matchbox penetration is a good one. I started off with that!

Thanks again for the advice everyone. I still can't believe I'm getting responses to this post which is quite a few months old now.

I have purchased the good old thumb tip and even bought one of Jeff McBrides rainbow streamers whilst he was here at a convention.

Does anyone know if Paul Currie's "Out of this World" is published in a specific book, DVD. I would like to track this down. Will google.

Thanks

Andrew